Electric switch.



G. J. KLEIN.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED JULY25, 1907. 7 949,123. Patented Feb. 15, 1910.

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ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25,1907.

949,123. Patented Feb. 15,1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A TTOHNE VS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES J. KLEIN, on NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T IDA s. ROSENHEIM, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Application filed July 25,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES J. KLEIN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, of which the following is a specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of the same.

This invention relates to electrical apparatus, and more particularly to electric switches or cut-outs.

In wiring buildings, it is customary to place the fixed part of the electric switch or cut-out at suitable predetermined places or intervals permanently in the floor, wall or ceiling and in position at all times to co operate with a plug attached to the translating or consuming device which as regards the fixed part is relatively movable and detachable from it.

In the accompanying drawings showing illustrative embodiments of this invention in which the same numeral refers to the similar parts in the several figures, Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section taken through the switch of the preferred construction showing the block depressed and the plug in operative position. Fig. 2 is a l0ngitudinal vertical section similar to Fig. 1 with the plug removed and the block in its normal elevated position closing the aperture in the face-plate. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the base shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the block and the face-plate being removed. Fig. i is a longitudinal vertical section of a modification taken on the line 33 of Fig. 5 showing; the block depressed and the plug in opera tive position. Fig. 5 1s a plan vlew of the fixed part of the switch showing the plug detached and the block in extended operative position. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal ven tical section on the line 33 of Fig. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the base, the block and faceplate being removed. Fig. 8 is a vertical section of the plug, the wires for the sake of clearness being omit-ted. Fig. 9 is a horizontal section on the line 66 of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a vertical section showinga slight modifi cation.

In the illustrated embodiment of this invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3, 1 is a base preferably formed of some insulating material as porcelain, though any other insulatl Specification of Letters Patent.

1997. Serial No. 385,431.

ing material may be used. On opposite ends of the base 1 I form openings 3, 3 in any suitable manner for the screws 4:, l, the innor ends of the screws taking into screwthreaded openings in the ears 5, 5, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The outer ends of these ears 5, 5 have openings 6, 6, for the reception of screws (not shown) to secure the fixed portion of the switch within the opening in the floor, wall or ceiling in the well known manner. To rigidly hold the screws 4, 1 within the openings 3 of the base 1, I preferably form an opening 60 through the screws 4, 4:, through which I pass a short strip of wire 61 or other suitable material, the screw at being thereby securely held to the base 1 by its head and the Wire 61. I secure a faceplate 9 having a depending flange 10 to the ears 5, 5 by means of screws 8, 8 engaging with screw-threaded openings 7, 7 in the ears. lVithin the annular flange 10 which may be of any contour, but prefer ably formed elliptical, as shown in Fig. 5, I mount a block 11, preferably formed of insulating material, which is normally adapted to close the opening in the face-plate by means of the spring let, which is seated within an opening in the base 1 and an opening 13 in the block, forcing the same outwardly until the shoulders 16, 16 carried by the block 11 engage the stops 17, 17 on the interior annular face of the face-plate 9. These shoulders and stops are so arranged as to permit the outer surface of the block 11 to normally remain flush with the surface of the face-plate 9. To give a neater appearance to the completed device, I may mount a thin plate 18 upon the block 11, securing it to the latter by means of screws similar to 14A, 1 14., (we Fig. 5.) This plate would ordinarily be of the same material as the face-plate and its outer surface would normally be flush with it. This block 11, which is guided in its movement by the inwardly extending flange 10 of the face-plate 9 has apertures 12, 12 which register with apertures 19 and 20 on the plate 18. Fixed within these apertures 12, 12 are fixed contacts 21, 21 which have an offset portion 25,

with which engage screws 26, 26, the arrangement being such that these fixed contacts 21, 21 are permanently fixed to the base 1 and have no movement with relation to it. I To complete the electrical circuit to the binding posts 28, 29, respectively, the screws 26,

26 pass through electrical connecting links 27, 27, the wires being connected to these binding posts 28, 29 in a well known manner. The outer ends of the fixed contacts 21 are preferably formed in a plurality of parts, two being shown in the drawing. These ends or tines are preferably secured together at one end in any suitable manner, as by rivets 22, 22, the other ends being adapted to have a limited lateral movement to receive between them the complementary contacts 23, 23 carried by the removable plug 24:. To insure the locking of this plug 24 in its operative position, 1 preferably corrugate or form teeth upon the ends of the tines of the fixed contacts :21 and form complementary ridges or teeth upon the contacts 23 carried by the plug, though this is notessential as the surfaces may be formed without these teeth or ridges as shown in Fig. 10. The removable plug .Zat is formed of a shell 30 having a downwardly extending flange 31 and a bead 50, the latter serving to limit the inward movement of the plug when it engages the face-plate Within the shell 30 is mounted an insulating body portion 32 to which are attached the fixed contacts 23, 23 by means of binding posts 36,37, taking into the body portion 32. To these binding posts are led the wires 34:, 35 through the opening 33 in the shell 30 in the well known manner. (For fuller detail illustration of the plug 24, see the similar plug 1% in Figs. 8 and 9). This plug may have any suitable configuration which is adapted to cooperate with the contour of the aperture formed in the faceplate 9; as shown both the aperture in the face-plate and the plug 24.- are elliptical, though they may be formed of any other suitable contour.

When it is desired to connect up the translating or consuming device with a fixed base, it is merely necessary to take the plug 24 and press it against the block 11 or the plate 18, should one be used. This action will cause the insulating block 11 to yield against the action of the spring 14, being guided in its inward movement by the flange 10 of the face-plate 9. This inward movement of the plug 24 will also be resisted by the resiliency of the tines of the fixed contact 21 engaging with the complementary contacts 23 carried by the plug 24. The resiliency of these fixed contacts is suflicient to require an appreciable thrust inward of the plug which is held in its position by this resilient action of the fixed contacts which is greater than the outward pressure of the spring lat. It is not, however, necessary to form teeth or roughened surfaces upon these fixed contacts and the complementary ones carried by the plug, for they may be formed smooth as shown at 141 and 142 in Fig. 10. Where they are formed with teeth, however, I am able to use a stronger spring 14 and I therefore preferably use this construction, though it is to be understood that my invention is not. limited to it. To disconnectthe translating or consuming device from the base 1, it is merely necessary to give an appreciable pull upon the plug 24 which will disengage the contacts 23 from the complementary fixed contacts 21, permitting the plug 24 to be withdrawn, the opening in the face-plate being instantly closed by the spring 14, forcing the insulating block 11 outward until its shoulders 16, engage with the stops 17 carried by the face-plate, when its outer surface will be flush with the face of the face-plate 9, presenting a neat and attractive appearance.

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 4.- to 10 of the drawings, 101 is a base formed of some insulating material, preferably porcelain. The interior portion 102 of the base 101 is preferably formed in the shape of an ellipse, though it may be formed square or given any other suitable configuration. I mold the openings 103,103 in the opposite sides of the base 101 of sufficient diameter for the passage of screws 104, 104, which screw into and firmly hold the ears 105, 105 to the base 101. At the outer end of these ears are formed holes 106, 106 for the reception of screws (not shown) to secure the fixed part of the switch within the aperture in the floor, wall or ceiling the same as the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 3 is secured. These ears also have screwthreaded openings 107, 107 for the 109 reception of screws 108, 108 which securely hold the face-plate 109 to the ears 105, as clearly shown in Fig. l. This face-plate may have any desired contour, but I have shown it rectangular in Fig. 5, an aperture 105 being formed in approximately its center which as illustrated in Fig. 5 is in the form of an ellipse, though it may be made of any other suitable shape. Extending downwardly from the opening of the face-plate 110 is a depending annular flange 110 which is shown formed integral with the face-plate 109, though it may be secured to it in any other suitable manner. This depending flange 110 serves to always act as a guide for the movable block 111 which is preferably formed of any suitable insulating material, though other material may be used, if desired. As shown in the drawing this insulating block 111 has two apertures 1'12, 112 formed in. it and a socket 113 for the reception of one end of a spring 11 1, the other end of the spring being seated in a socket 115 formed in the bottom of the base 101. This spring normally presses the block 111 outwardly which movement is limited by shoulders 116 engaging with the stops 117 formed 011 the interior annular surface of the face-plate 109. The block 111 normally closes this aperture in the face-plate 1 109, the shoulder andstop being so located as to permit the outer surface of the insulating block 111, normally remaining flush with the face-plate 109 so as to present a neat and attractive appearance. To further insure this effect, I may secure in any suitable manner as by means of screws 14% (see Fig. 5) a thin metallic plate 118 to the outer surface of the insulating block 111, said plate being formed preferably of the same material as the face-plate 109, though this is not essential. This plate has apertures 119 and 120 registering with the apertures 112, 112 in the insulating block 111 to permit of the relative movement of said insulating block with relation to the fixed contacts 121, 121 which, as shown, are located within the flange 110 and within the apertures of the insulating block 111. These fixed contacts are preferably divided or formed in two parts or tines, their inner ends being preferably joined together by any suitable means, such as a rivet 122. Their outer ends are preferably bent or roughened to form teeth to engage on either side of complementary contacts 123 carried by the plug 124. The lower ends of the fixed contacts are offset at 125 and screwthreaded for the reception of screws 126 which by means of links 127, 127 form an electrical connection from the fixed contacts, to the binding posts or terminals 128 and 129, respectively, the wires being connected to these binding posts or. terminals in the well known manner. The plug 124 may be formed of any shape to correspond with the opening in the face-plate and as I have shown this opening elliptical, the plug would also be given this configuration, though it is to be distinctly understood that the opening in the face-plate and the contour of the plug are immaterial. As shown, this plug 124: is formed of an elliptical metallic shell 130 having a depending annular flange 131 fitting over the body portion 132 of the plug which is preferably formed of some insulating material, as porcelain, and provided with an annular bead 150. This bead engaging with the face-plate 109 act-s a stop to limit the movement of the plug 12%. Through the hollow h ad 133 of the plug I pass the wires 13% and 135, leading them to their respective binding posts 136 and 137 which pass through offset portions 138 and 139 of the contacts 123, 123 and secure them to the body portion 132 of the plug, the latter having apertures 1 10 within which the contacts 123 are mounted, said apertures registering with the openings 112, 112 in the insulating block 111.

Having thus described this invention in connection with several illustrative embodiments thereof, to the details of which I do not desire to be limited, what is claimed as new and what it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

1. In a device of the class described, a face-plate with an aperture and a downwardly extending flange surrounding the aperture adapted to act as a guide for a block.

2. In a device of the class described, a face-plate provided with an aperture and a downwardly extending flange and means to normally close the aperture in the faceplate, said fiange adapted to act as a guide for said means.

3. In a device of the class described, a base, a face-plate having an aperture, a downwardly extending flange, means to connect the base with the face-plate, and means to normally close the aperture in the faceplate, said flange adapted to act as a guide for the closure means.

1. In a device of the class described, a base, a face-plate having an aperture, means carried by the face-plate connecting the faceplate and the base and leaving a space between them, fixed contacts carried by the base and means for normally closing the aperture in the face-plate.

5. In a device of the class described, a base, fixed contacts carried by the base, a face plate having an aperture, means located between the face plate and the base to act as a guide for a block, a block adapted only for vertical movement to normally close the aperture in the face plate, the block having sliding contact with the means located between the face plate and the base so that the block may be guided by said means.

6. In a device of the class described, a base, a face-plate having an aperture surrounded by a depending flange, fixed eontact members mounted on the base, a block adapted to have only a vertical movement and be guided in such movement by the flange of the face-plate, means for normally pressing the block outward and means for limiting such outward movement of the block.

7. In a device of the class described, a base, a face-plate having an aperture, fixed electrical contacts mounted on the base, their outer ends being divided and spaced apart and adapted to grip the complementary contacts carried by a plug connected to a consuming or translating device, an insulating block adapted to close the aperture in the face-plate, means for normally pressing the block outward, means to limit such outward movement, and a plug with contacts adapted to cooperate with the fixed contacts carried by the base.

'8. In a device of the class described, a base, a face-plate having an aperture, fixed electrical spring contacts mounted on the base, their outer ends being divided and spaced apart and adapted to grip the complementary contacts carried by a plug connected to a consuming or translating device, an insulating block adapted to close the aperture in the face plate, means for normally pressing the block outward, means to limit said outward movement, and a plug carrying contacts adapted to cooperate with the fixed contacts carried by the base.

9. I11 a device of the class described, a base, a face-plate having an aperture, means for normally closing the aperture, fixed spaced spring contacts having teeth mounted on the base, a removable plug, and contacts carried by the plug having teeth to cooperate with the fixed spring contacts carried by the base, the parts being so arranged may be.

CHAS. J. KLEIN.

Witnesses JESSIE B. KAY, ALAN M. JOHNSON. 

